DAY 101 - AQABA, JORDAN - PETRA - MAY 8, 2010

WHAT A SURPRISE, WE WERE IN AND OUT OF THE BUFFET BEFORE MOST PEOPLE AND ACTUALLY MADE IT TO THE LOUNGE EARLY ENOUGH TO OBTAIN A GROUP RED #1 STICKER FOR THE TOUR TO PETRA. TEN BUSES TO PETRA TODAY, APPROXIMATELY 350 PASSENGERS. OUR GUIDE SHOWED ALL THE SIGNS OF BEING EXCELLENT EVEN BEFORE LEAVING THE PORT. AS WE WAITED FOR THE OTHER BUSES TO FILL, HE WAS GIVING US ALL THE LOW-DOWN ON WHAT TO EXPECT FOR THE DAY.

TOTAL TRAVEL TIME WAS ESTIMATED TO BE TWO HOURS AND FIFTEEN MINUTES. APPROXIMATELY SIXTY MINUTES INTO THE TRIP WE BEGAN OUR CLIMB INTO THE MOUNTAINS REACHING AN ALTITUDE OF 1700 METERS, OR 5400 FEET ABOVE SEA LEVEL, (A MILE UP). SHORTLY BEFORE OUR REST STOP WE HIT THE CONSTRUCTION DETOUR AND BEGAN OUR JOURNEY ON A STEEP AND WINDING ROAD THAT RAN PARALLEL TO THE TRANS-JORDAN HIGHWAY. WE RE-ENTERED THE HIGHWAY AGAIN, ABOUT TEN MILES FURTHER NORTH. A SHORT TIME LATER WE LEFT THE MAIN HIGHWAY, TRAVELING BACK ROADS UNTIL WE ARRIVED HIGH IN THE HILLS ABOVE OLD PETRA AND NEW PETRA, WHICH IS CALLED WADI MUSA.

THE STOP GAVE US AN OPPORTUNITY TO USE CLEAN RESTROOMS AND WONDERFUL VIEWS OF THE VALLEY BELOW. WE NATURALLY TOOK SEVERAL PICTURES.

WE LEFT THE REST STOP AND HEADED DOWN THE MOUNTAIN TO WADI MUSA AND THE ENTRANCE TO THE LOST CITY OF PETRA. OUR MARCHING ORDERS WERE TO STAY WITH OUR GUIDE UNTIL WE REACH THE “TREASURY” AND A FEW OTHER POINTS OF INTEREST. ALTHOUGH WE WERE THEN ON OUR OWN, THE ONLY MUST WAS TO BE BACK ON THE BUS AT 3:45. IF WE WANTED TO EAT AT THE CROWN PLAZA HOTEL RESTAURANT, WHICH WAS INCLUDED, WE COULD DO SO BETWEEN 1:30 AN 3:30.

WE RECEIVED OUR TICKETS AND ENTERED THE GROUNDS. THE FIRST STRETCH, JUST SHORT A THIRD OF A MILE, COVERED A LONG GRAVAL PATH WITH ABSOLUTELY NO SHADE. OUR GUIDE POINTED OUR VARIOUS ITEMS OF IMPORTANCE BUT THE HIGHLIGHT WAS WATCHING PEOPLE RIDE THE HORSES, AND DONKEY CARTS DOWN TO THE SIQ, THANKFULLY THEIR PATH WAS SEPARATE FROM OURS.

THE SIQ IS THE LONG NARROW 900 METER, SLIGHTLY MORE THAN HALF A MILE, PASSAGE LEADING TO THE TREASURY AND OTHER HISTORY SITES IN THE LOST CITY. THE WALLS IN THE SIQ ARE SHORT OF 100 FEET TALL AND DISPLAY EVER CHANGING COLORS AS THE SUN REFLECTS OFF OVERHANGS AND CURVATURES IN THE ROCK FORMATIONS. AT TIMES THE COLORS WERE AS BRILLIANT AS THOSE IN BRYCE CANYON AND OCCASIONALLY AS MUTED AS THE DRAB MOUNTAINS IN SOUTHWEST ARIZONA.

THE WALK ON THE SIQ IS ALL DOWNHILL, SO YOU KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS ON THE RETURN TRIP. IT IS CONSTANTLY WINDING LEFT AND RIGHT WITH AREAS IN DARK SHADOW CHANGING TO BLINDING SUNLIGHT AND BACK TO SHADE AGAIN. WITH EACH TURN ON THE PATH GEORGIA AND I WERE READY TO SNAP A PICTURE OF THE FIRST GLIMPSE OF THE TREASURY THROUGH ANY CRACK IN THE WALLS. ALTHOUGH DISAPPOINTED THE NEXT BEND NEVER REVEALED THE TREASURY, WE MARVELED AS EACH CURVE PRESENTED NEW VISTAS, CARVINGS AND STATUES.

A CONSTANT FLOW OF PEOPLE, AND DONKEY CARTS, IN BOTH DIRECTIONS, HAMPERED OR IMPEDED PROGRESS. THE ROAD OR PATH, WAS LOOSE GRAVEL, COBBLESTONE, CONCRETE, SAND AND DROPPINGS, OCCASIONALLY ALL FIVE AT THE SAME TIME, MADE WALKING AN OLYMPIC EVENT.

FORTY MINUTES AFTER STARTING THE WALK DOWN THE SIQ THAT MAGIC MOMENT ARRIVED. THE FIRST GLIMPSE, ALTHOUGH SMALL, OF THE TREASURY COULD BE SEEN THROUGH A TINY OPENING AT THE TOP OF THE OVERHANGING ROCKS. LIKE KIDS IN A CANDY SHOP WE YELLED THEIR IT IS AND BEGAN SNAPPING AWAY. AS WE WALKED TOWARD THE OPENING THE FULL SPECTRUM OF THE TREASURY FACADE WAS STARING US IN THE FACE.

THE RED SANDSTONE CARVED TOWERS AND SCULPTURES GLISTENED AS THE SUN REFLECTED OFF THE FACING. THE INTRICATE DETAILS ABOVE THE PILLARS IMMEDIATELY CAME INTO VIEW. WE STOOD IN AWE AND GAZED AS IF IN A TRANCE, IT IS A SIGHT NOT TO BE FORGOTTEN. MAKING OUR WAY THROUGH THE CROWDS, DONKEYS AND CAMELS WE STOOD ON THE STEPS AND PEERED INTO THE OPEN CHAMBER. WE MARVELED AT THE PRECISION IN THE DETAILED OBJECTS AND THE STRAIGHT LINES OF THE CORNERS. OUR CAMERA WAS WORKING OVERTIME.

THE CRAFTSMEN RESPONSIBLE FOR THESE WORKS OF ART ARE CALLED NABATAEANS, WHICH LITERALLY TRANSLATED MEANS CARVERS. THE TREASURY WAS ONLY THE FIRST OF THE MANY FASCINATING FEATURES IN ALL THE BUILDINGS. YOU MUST UNDERSTAND THAT NONE OF THESE STRUCTURES WERE BUILT IN THE TERMS WE CURRENTLY THINK OF IN TODAYS WORLD. THE HOMES, PALACES AND TOMBS WERE ALL CARVED INTO THE FACE OF THE ROCK AND MOUNTAIN SIDE.

ANOTHER BRIEF MEETING WITH OUR GUIDE AND WE STARTED DOWN ANOTHER HILL TOWARD THE HUGE AMPHITHEATER. SOME SAY IT WAS BUILT TO HOLD AS MANY AS 8000 PEOPLE. A MORE REALISTIC NUMBER WOULD BE AROUND 3000. IN ADDITION TO THE SEATING AREA CHAMBERS IN THE FACE OF THE ROCK, ABOVE AND BEHIND THE SEATS, LOOKED LIKE THE PRIVATE BOXES WE SEE IN THE MODERN ARENAS OF TODAY.

PASSED THE THEATER AND ON A HILLSIDE TO THE RIGHT WAS A HUGE COMPLEX WITH FIVE EXPOSED PILLARS. IT WAS SUSPECTED IT WAS ONCE THE PALACE. HOWEVER AS YOU MOVED ALONG THE PATH NEW VISTAS REVEALED A LONG SET OF STEPS LEADING TOWARD THE PILLARED BUILDING. HOWEVER, INSTEAD OF WALKING FURTHER ALONG PATH, BY NAVIGATING A SMALL HILL BEHIND THE VENDOR THE WHOLE HILLSIDE OPENED UP A HUGE COMPLEX OF ARCHED TOMBS, DWELLING, AND SO MUCH MORE. THE MORE THAT CAUGHT YOUR EYE, THE MORE YOU STOOD IN AWE OF THIS MASTERFUL COMPLEX.

PETRA EXISTED BEFORE THE TIME OF CHRIST AND WAS A MAJOR COG IN THE TRADE ROUTE BETWEEN ASIA AND EUROPE. NO RECORDS REVEAL THE DISAPPEARANCE OF THE NABATAEANS. THE CITY BECAME “LOST” AROUND THE LATE 13TH CENTURY AD. THE SITE REMAINED VIRTUALLY UNKNOWN TO THE WESTERN WORLD UNTIL 1812 WHEN A SWISS EXPLORER, JOHANN LUDWIG BURCKHARDT, REDISCOVERED PETRA. THE BBC PLACE PETRA ON A LIST OF 40 SITES TO SEE BEFORE YOU DIE. I SAY YOU CAN’T GO WRONG.

ALTHOUGH THERE WAS MUCH MORE TO SEE, AND I HAVE ONLY MENTIONED A FEW OF THE STRUCTURES WE OBSERVED, GEORGIA AND I KNEW WE HAD TO START BACK TOWARD THE RESTAURANT AND/OR BUS. THE HEAT WAS BEGINNING TO TAKE ITS TOLL, EVEN THOUGH IT WAS ONLY ESTIMATED TO BE IN THE MID NINETIES.

I FIGURED WE WALKED CLOSED TO TWO MILES ALREADY AND DOWNHILL AT THAT. GEORGIA HAD SPOKEN TO ANOTHER OF THE SHIPS PASSENGERS, AN ENGINEER, WHO HAS WORKED IN THIS AREA, AND IN THIS TYPE HEAT, FOR MANY YEARS. HIS CONCERN WAS KEEPING PLENTY OF FLUIDS IN YOUR BODY AND KEEPING YOUR BRAIN FROM FRYING.

IN THE WINTER WE WEAR HATS TO KEEP OUR BODIES WARM. WITHOUT A HAT YOUR BODY LOSES NINETY PERCENT OF ITS HEAT. IN THE SUMMER WE WEAR HATS TO PROTECT OUR HEADS FROM THE HEAT. HOWEVER, IF YOUR HEAD GETS TO HOT YOUR BRAIN CAN BEGIN TO FRY. YOU BEGIN TO BECOME IRRITABLE, MEAN AND NASTY. WITHOUT SOME MEASURE TO COMBAT THIS YOU COULD DIE. HE GAVE US A GREAT TIP.

THE NIGHT BEFORE LEAVING ON THE TOUR WE SOAKED WASH CLOTHES AND PLACED THEM IN THE FRIDGE. WE TOOK THEM WITH US IN PLASTIC BAGS AND USED THEM AS WE RETURNED TO THE BUSES.

SO ENDS THE LESSON IN HEAT STROKE 101.

I TELL ALL THIS TO LET YOU KNOW WE WOULD NOT HAVE MADE IT IF NOT FOR THE COLD CLOTHES ON OUR HEADS AND NECK DURING THE TWO MILE UPHILL TREK TO THE BUS. I REALLY DIDN’T CARE IF WE MADE IT TO THE “FREE” LUNCH, I JUST WANTED TO BE ALIVE TO EAT DINNER ON THE SHIP. THERE ARE SEVERAL FOUR, FIVE, SIX AND SEVEN LETTER WORDS THAT COULD DESCRIBE THE RETUN TRIP. I’LL JUST SAY IT WAS DIFFICULT.

WALKING THE SIQ WAS EASIER BECAUSE YOU COULD STAY IN THE SHADE FOR MOST OF THE TIME. WE CONSERVED OUR ENERGY, WALKING SLOWLY AND STOPPING FREQUENTLY TO SIT AND REST, EVEN IF IT WERE ON A HARD ROCK (AND I’M NOT TALKING ABOUT THE CAFE). THE STRETCH FROM THE SIQ TO THE MAIN GATE CONCERNED ME.

THERE WAS A BENCH AT THE TOP OF THE SIQ JUST OUTSIDE THE THREE KINGS GIFT SHOP AND WE UTILIZED IT FOR AT LEAST TEN MINUTES. WITH OUR ENERGY RESTORED AND OUR HOPES HIGH WE BEGAN THE ARDUOUS TASK OF WALKING THE LAST THIRD OF A MILE TO THE TOP OF THE HILL. WE COULD HAVE TAKEN THE HORSES FOR NOTHING, IT WAS INCLUDED, BUT IT DIDN’T LOOK THAT COMFORTABLE SO WE WALKED. THE FIRST COUPLE HUNDRED FEET WERE NOT TO BAD ON OUR SYSTEM. THE SUN GOT HOTTER AND FOR WHATEVER REASON IT WAS JUST SHINING ON US. IT WAS REST TIME AGAIN.

THE STONE WALL WAS JUST BARELY HIGH ENOUGH TO AVOID SITTING ON THE GROUND, BUT IT WAS SOMETHING. RESTED AGAIN WE PULLED OURSELVES OFF THE WALL AND BEGAN THE TREK ONCE MORE, ONLY TO ACCOMPLISH ANOTHER COUPLE HUNDRED FEET. SEVERAL MORE ATTEMPTS AND SEVERAL MORE REST TIMES WERE REQUIRED BEFORE REACHING THE GATE.

THE IMMEDIATE GOAL WAS TO GET A COKE NO MATTER WHAT THE COST. I WAS IN NO MOOD TO HAGGLE AND ANY REASONABLE PRICE WAS FINE WITH ME. GEORGIA FOUND TWO EXCEPTIONALLY COLD CANS AND WE HEADED TO THE VENDOR. $3.00 WAS THE ASKING PRICE. WAS THAT EACH OR TOTAL, I ASKED. EACH WAS THE REPLY...BUT YOU BUY TWO, I GIVE FOR $5.00, OK.

IT’S A DEAL. WE WALKED A FEW FEET AND SAT ON THE STAIRS LEADING TO THE PARKING LOT. COCA COLA WAS THE ONLY THING IN ENGLISH ON THE CAN. FOR ALL I KNOW I COULD HAVE BEEN A WINNER FOR A TRIP TO MECCA. BUT ALL WE CARED ABOUT WAS THAT IT WAS COLD, WET AND IT WAS A COKE.

I CONVINCED GEORGIA TO HEAD FOR THE BUS AND NOT THE RESTAURANT. WE HAD FORTY MINUTES TO WAIT BUT IT WAS OH SO WORTH IT. THINGS WERE LOOK’N GOOD.

OUR GUIDE MENTIONED THE POSSIBILITY OF PASSING A BEDOUIN CAMP ON THE WAY BACK TO THE SHIP. WITH A LITTLE COAXING HE HAD THE DRIVER STOP SO WE COULD TAKE PICTURES. WITH OUR NEED TO HAVE PICTURES OF CLOTH TENTS IN THE MIDDLE OF A JORDANIAN MEADOW SATISFIED, WE HOPPED BACK ON THE BUS FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE TRIP

WE WERE BACK ON THE SHIP BEFORE 6:00 AND A GOOD TIME WAS HAD BY ALL. AS WE STOOD IN LINE TO GET ON THE SHIP THE CREW HAD LEMONADE AND COLD CLOTHES WAITING FOR US.